The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-05-07
FENCE-RAIL TALK,
Practical Advice Regarding the Selection
and Preparation of Timber.

and Preparation of Timber.
Hickory, and other woods likely to be
eaten by worms, should be cut when
the bark will peel off; other woods.
particularly the oaks, should be cut IN
winter. AS a general rule trees which
have died do not make so durable rails
as those cut when alive. 1t scarcely
pays to make rails of dead pin" oak,
though it makes good rails if cut alive.
Timber from very rich soil makes less
durable rails than that from poor soil.
Also timber from northern slope
makes more durable rails than from q
southern slope. This comparison refers
to trees of the same Sort as hickory
with hickory, for the best rail timber
does not grow at all on barren land.
The heart wood lasts longer than the
sap-wood, and the best plan is so to
split the log as to distribute the two as
near as may be among the rails. The
all-sapwood rail will last only short
time; if put near the top of the fence it
may be replaced with little trouble
when it gives out. If the rail, half or
more of heart-wood, be laid in the
fence with the heart-wood up, its dur
ability will be measured by the dur
ability of the heart-wood. Men who
do not understand the art of making
rails, quarter logs, then split u rail from
the heart-wood of each quarter, and
then half or third the remaining part.
This makes from each quarter n rail all
of heart-wood and two or three mostly
of sap-a bad arrangement. 1t would
be better to make four rails by splitting
altogether through from the bark to the
heart, though the rails would not be of
so neat form.
When very large logs are split, how
ever, it is necessary to take out Il heart
rail; and these rails are to be put in the
bottom of the fence When a log is
halved, it may be easier to split the rails
off one by one; the wedge is first driven
in at the middle of the rail; then a wedge
on either side, midway between it and
the ends of the log. These wedges must
be set a little back of the desired margin
of the rail, as the crack will not follow
the grain of the wood, but tend toward
the edge. Better rails are made with
less work by using more and smaller
wedges 1t is easier to drive two wedges
than one large enough to do the same
work. 1t is impossible to have rails of
the same-hickness throughout. Those
largest ut the ends should be put in the
bottom, for there the ends are the first
to give way; while those largest in the
middle should be placed near the top OF
the fence, as there the greatest strain is
on the middle of the rails. If the rails
are for post-and-rail fence, in which
lemons are cut on the ends of the rails,
avoid knots on the ends, for knots
weaken. 1t is folly to put rails of some
kinds of timber on the ground in a
Virginia wormfence, or next to the
ground in a post-and-rail fence. Thus
red elm makes very durable rail for
off the ground but few will decay
| sooner on the ground.
making the rails, for, in the Virginia
worm-feece, for example, the bottom
and top rails should be the largest, the
intermediate rails smaller and gradu-
ally increasing in size toward the top
of the fence. Hence in splitting timber
that lasts we'll on the ground, enough
large rails should be made for the bot
tom course and the remainder small,
for the courses just above; while OF
| timber that soon rots on the ground
make enough large rails for the TOP
riders and the rest somewhat smaller,
for the courses Just below. Some logs
will so split that there will be many
slivers on the surfaces of the rails.
These slivers should be cut off, not only
that the rails may be more agreeable
| to handle, but also because the air anC
sun do not get under the slivers and a:
a result the wood rots there and worm!
hide in these places. Some men cut of
/ limbs an inch or more from the trunk
leaving pieces that make the rails dis
agreeable to handle. 1t is just as easy
to cut off a branch close up to the trunk
If there is snow on the ground, lay TIVE
or more large limbs for the tree to fal
on. If your wedges won't draw maxi
fire and heat them. A heavy maui i
more economical of your strength thai
light one, results considered. Hav
the handle so large that it will no
cramp the hands, and yet not perfect.
rigid. Some tlexibility lessons the re
coil. Stack up the rails on stump tt
season until needed.-John N. Stahl, a
NJ Y Tribune.
Sanitary Desserts.
81 find that families who finish thei